Confessions on a Dance Floor
by Green Phantom Queen
Summary: Part of the Horseshoes and Hand-grenades Universe, and set parallel to "Cherry Picking". Meet Luna Iwashimizu, a girl who aspires to become an idol .To do that, she's going to break ties with the family she's ever had, accept blood money, hurt people's feelings, and maybe discover secrets in a rollercoaster that she can't get off of. [First POV]
1. Hung Up

**Confessions on a Dance Floor**

Author: Green Phantom Queen

Rated: T

Summary: Meet Luna Iwashimizu, an aspiring idol who has decided to take the new step to the world of show business by becoming a model for Yggdrasil. Along the way, she begins to find herself diving into the secret dark world that most girls never dare confess to the public, and the struggles between leaving the only home she's had versus the true feelings in her heart. These are the confessions of an aspiring dancer.

Notes: Takes place starting with "Cherry Picking" chapter 7. Title of the story and chapters are named after the Madonna album "Confessions on a Dance Floor"

**Dance 1: Hung Up**

"_Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go."_

_-William Feather._

"Don't make me destroy you, little girl."

"No papa! You have to fight it! Don't you remember me?"

"Shut up! I will kill you if I have to!"

This is the current debate that's in front of me. A man possessed by some strange supernatural entity, and a girl in yellow who has waited to reunite with the father she could never be with. I'm at the sidelines, unable to do anything. It's not because I'm a bystander, but it's because there are two arrows made of light aimed at my face. The moment I make one false move, I'll be killed quicker before I could even say, "_Nijiyome Gakuen: Z-Cune Aoi_."

The warriors in front of me are a man wearing armor based off of cherries, and a woman wearing armor based off of Arabia and a peach. I wish I was making this up.

All around me, I observe six teens and some dinosaur based fighters going against more fruit based warriors and strange creatures that eat locks to power themselves up. All of Zaname is in a panic, and here I am unable to fight. What can I do?

As my ears pick up the sounds of people running away from the swarm of strange monsters—Inves, I remind myself—I feel a part of my mind trying to figure through a whole week's worth of memories that lead to this single moment, hoping to create a solution to get out of this situation.

Who could ever guess that I fould myself entangled in this madness all because I decided to take a step forward with my life-long dream?

**0-0-0-0-0**

My name is Luna Iwashimizu, age 16. If you write my surname with kanji, it holds the character for 'blue'. I don't know how or why it's written as that, but I'm not the one to judge. That's what the Family Circle gave me when I was dropped at their doorstop at the tender age of five. I don't even remember my previous family name.

The Family Circle is a bit...weird, I guess you can say. It's a rental company, where people got hired to act out as different types of people. Want to reconcile with your dead wife? They'll hire someone to make a faux farewell. Need to have that perfect date with your boyfriend? They'll bring the best boy they can find and make sure he treats you with respect. Have a jealous wife that you want to stab to death? The woman will die happily because they played their role to the end.

I rarely went out to do roles. Most of the time, I was someone's daughter who ran away from home or something of the like, which annoyed me seeing as I never WAS anyone's daughter to really get into my job. I was mainly the apprentice to the head seamstress of the company, Yuko Yamada. She didn't like that name for some odd reason, personally asking people to call her 'Yumeria' or something of the like. I liked the name Yuko—the kanji read that she was a nice child. That's what she was. I looked up to Yuko-sempai and loved helping her with whatever she needed. We were the perfect team together: I helped her design new outfits, and she would be my support for becoming an idol. There was nothing else I could ask for.

Oh, you're wondering why I want to become an idol? Well, it's mostly to perform in front of people the way I want to be shown—not by having requests being shove down my throat that I'm X's daughter, or Y's girlfriend. I am Luna, and no one would change that. Secretly, I want to become so famous that maybe I'll be able to find my parents when they see my name spread across the globe...but that's another story for another time.

On the Saturday that changed my life, my morning was normal. I woke up in Zaname City at around 7:30 AM, showered, ate breakfast, said my morning prayers, and then prepared the Sew Sweet Costume Shop that I ran. Okay, I didn't actually run it as it was actually one of the stores that belonged to the Family Circle, but since I was the only person stationed in Zaname City, I began to consider the shop as my own. Every day I prepared the dresses that Yuko-sempai and I made on the weekends I went to visit her in Akibahara, and also displayed the handmade accessories that I would make the night before. Then, I was at the cash register, the radio blaring songs and a magazine in my hand as I waited for people to come and browse my wares...if anyone actually came, anyhow.

On that particular Saturday afternoon, April 28th, 2012, as the radio began to play a song known as "Dino Soul", I received a text message from Yuko. I hoped that it would tell when we could come see each other again. Instead, I was devastated to learn what the message foretold.

"_I've been fired from the Family Circle, nya! What did I ever do to displease them?"_

Yuko-sempai was fired? This couldn't be possible. She was the kindest person I've ever met! She never got impatient with the demands, nor did she ever take down a job that had her go out to console a sobbing couple or the like. What caused this? I instantly sent a reply, hoping to get to the bottom of the mystery. This just wasn't like the Family Circle to fire Yuko after she worked for them for the past eleven years!

I didn't have time to comprehend just what Yumeria could've done to cause herself to get the pink slip when the door to the shop opened. I looked up, seeing a teenage boy in a blue kimono followed by someone dressed as a maid with long brown hair. The maid began to inspect a white dress with a red ribbon around the waist, their eyes showing some sort of hope or relief just by touching the strawberries sewn at the bottom. Curious and curiouser.

"Welcome to Sew Sweet," I began, bowing toward the boy with the kimono and the maid. "My name is Luna Iwashimizu, and I'm sorry that you had to come at a bad time. You see, business has been bad as of late and-"

"It's fine," The kimono-wearing boy interrupted me and bowed back. "My name is Kota, and the maid with me is Annabelle. We're here to purchase some outfits for her."

Kota? As in Kota Kazuraba? I knew that he was the leader of a Beat Rider Team, but this seemed very suspicious. For one thing, he wasn't wearing his trademark blue/black and white checkered jacket. Second, there was something wrong about his eyes. Of course, I couldn't just point out useless theories without evidence, so I had to focus my mind somewhere else.

"Oh, is she being hired to the local maid café?" I asked, seeing Annabelle looking at the other dresses on the rack. I narrowed my eyes and looked at the maid's posture, the facial features, their hands...after being an apprentice to Yuko for so many years, I've learned that appearances always hid the truth from the rest of the world. The maid was no exception. "Or should I say...'he'..."

Bingo. The maid turned his gaze to me as I approached him, leaning from side to side to get a better look. His makeup was properly put on, and the shade of red really matched his lips. The glasses gave him that type of moe look for those who liked glasses. The only thing that was out of place was how he was constantly rubbing his thighs and had his hands folded over the area where his crotch was. Ah. That explained everything.

The maid outfit looked fairly typical for any café—or any loving couple with a _meido_ fetish—to have. However, I noticed a pattern on one of the pockets: it was a rabbit with angelic wings. Interesting.

I continued my inspection by placing my hands on the male maid's chest and stomach underneath his outfit, noticing that he wasn't wearing any upper undergarments or the like. I was going to put my hands on his waist, but stepped back after considering what was "happening" underneath.

"Well," I announced. "Annabelle is a still a pretty maid and I can tell that _she _has such impeccable taste. Now, I can offer you a few suggestions on outfits with matching accessories all on a 50% discount for the whole shebang. What do you say...Annabelle?"

"Call me Hideyasu," the maid replied. "Thank you for your kindness." I was slightly shocked at the name, let alone how high his voice rose to imitate a girl. What was Hideyasu Jounochi, the leader of Team Invitto, dressed up like a maid and asking for girl clothes? I mean, wasn't it already a bit too much for him having an all-girl team to lead and those outlandish camp-like outfits he wore? He did look nice with colored scarves, come to think about it.

Still, I had to play it cool. If I just helped them with their little dilemma, then they wouldn't suspect me of someone who was catching on to them. A lot of things that I've learned in life came from Yuko's teachings, and pretending to act like you had no idea what someone was doing was the most important one. That didn't mean that I had to convince myself that I was a ditzy airhead, but if people _perceived_ me as one, then it worked to my advantage.

I showed Kota and Hideyasu some of the dresses in the shop—particularly the strawberry dress that Hideyasu admired when he first entered—before handing the maid a couple of dresses to try on. He looked like he was skipping in those high heels of his all the way to the changing room, as I stood in front of it to prevent Kota from getting...'close' to the maid.

"You have to respect the customer's privacy," I elaborated, watching as Kota just folded his arms across his chest. "Also, I don't want to see that you were having sex while other potential customers are getting ready for their purchases. I've dealt with guys like you who see their lovers in adorable outfits to the point that you'll fuck each others' brains out."

"Such strong language from a girl like you," Kota mused. I nearly rolled my eyes at the comment. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen," Which was true. I recently turned sixteen a few weeks ago. I celebrated it with Yumeria and I dressed up as a pair of _miko_ and we had some _okonomiyaki_ at our favorite restaurant. Good times.

"Yet you're the one who runs this shop?" Kota continued, looking around at the dresses, the accessories and the like. Way to point out the obvious.

"Your point is?" I replied. Kota just stared at me with an eyebrow raised. There was some more silence between the two of us, the radio blaring a song by some guy named Jimmy from Futo, and Hideyasu rustling behind me in the changing room. Seeing as this was nothing more than a stalemate, I sighed. "The truth is, I work for a rental company near Kyoto, but I'm only using it as a stepping stone for an idol career. And speaking of truth...care to tell me why you're here, Kota Kazuraba?"

"That's a secret," Kota placed a finger on my lips as he fished out some money from his wallet. "If you keep this a secret, Hideyasu and I will personally make sure you get a job where you can display yourself as an idol instead of that rental place."

He's not even questioning what the rentals are about? Still, if he's telling the truth...I had to take that leap of faith. I couldn't sit back as I was being shoved around being someone else's "special someone". I had to be me. I had to be selfish.

"Well, I dunno..." I replied, taking the money into my hands and pulling out my cellphone. I looked back at Yumeria's message, of the shock that she's going through in leaving her family...especially not of her own will. "Then again, if the higher-ups decided to fire Yuko-sempai after her dedication to them that came from the 'Roots Incident'..." I turned to Kota. "When can I schedule an appointment, and what type of things will I be doing?"

The latter question was the most important one. If I had to be one of those ladies of the night, then I'd file a complaint with the Family Circle. The biggest benefit that the Family Circle had was that minors were not allowed for sexual favors. Even Yuko-sempai was asked for a little night fun, but she always refused in the end. I don't even want to deal with the consequences of losing my virginity in my pursuit for a happier life.

"I'll ask Ryoma-san once shopping is over," Kota clapped his hands together, looking quite pleased with himself. "Oh? It looks like our little model is ready to be shown."

I turned around, seeing Hideyasu approach us in the white dress. Atop of the wig was a white sun-hat with a large red ribbon, and dangling around his neck was a pendant with a white strawberry. He even tried on a spare pair of white heels the shop had which was topped with a pair of red and white striped stockings. He looked so...adorable.

I had to be honest here—if Kota got me a great deal to model around Hideyasu, then I'd leave the Family Circle in a heartbeat. Yuko would _love_ dressing him up in so many dresses! I was already taking photos with my cellphone when he spoke.

"Thank you for your kindness, madame," Hideyasu said, bowing toward me. "Once I get my job at the maid café, I promise that your first meal will be on me. I'll even be your personal maid with my personal butler to give you a nice shoulder massage.."

"Well, Yuko-sempai would love seeing this," I smirked, imaging how Yuko would faint at _moe _it would be. "She needs to prepare that doujinshi for a convention coming soon. And...oh?" I turned around to see someone passing the store and looking at the display case. The person looked through the window and their eyes widened. "Wait a minute...isn't that Mai Takatsukasa from the Gaim Beat Rider team?"

"Shit," Kota cursed. "Luna, could you distract her? I can't let her know about 'Annabelle'."

Curiouser and curiouser. The plot thickened. I had no idea what Kota was hiding, but I was going to find out. And anyway, I wouldn't technically be lying to Mai if I myself had no idea what Kota's agenda was for the time being. Plus, there's no way she'd react well to having a good friend of hers accompanying a male maid for dress-up and probably doing things virgin minds like her could never understand.

"I better get that interview during Golden Week," I answered through gritted teeth as Kota pushed Hideyasu back into the changing room. I snatched the money from Kota's hand as he passed me, pocketing it just as Mai entered the shop. I cleared my throat and smiled. "Good afternoon, and welcome to Sew Sweet. How can I help you?"

"Kota was in here," Mai began. "I've been trying to find him all day. I need to know what's going on with him. Could I see him for just a second?"

What to do? I had to maintain the lie. No matter what, Mai shouldn't know the truth. It was better this way.

"S...sorry, I can't allow that," I answered, keeping my voice calm. "For one, I only have one changing room and also I can't let you see him because...because he's helping someone super important for this part-time job he's applying for."

"But he already has one in the Charmant patissere," Mai replied. "Why does he need another one?"

"Maybe he just wants to make extra cash around these parts?" I shrug my shoulders, feeling the money Kota gave me in my pocket. I felt so ashamed in lying to her—I mean, when I go do my job in playing someone, I'm not lying. I am that character for the moment. But here? I felt like I was going to puke. She doesn't deserve this. "I mean, with all the talk about Inves games and such, he's going to need some cash to survive if his family inevitably kicks him out."

"But that's the thing!" Mai screamed in my face. She looked on the verge of breaking down. I bit my lip, resisting the urge of hugging her. That's what Yuko did to me whenever I was down. "Someone was moving his belongings and his sister doesn't even remember that Kota was her little brother! I can't contact him nor Micchy and...please, I need to know."

She was so close to crying. Being nice wasn't going to cut it. I had to be mean. Yes it would hurt, but it was better this way. She'll understand...hopefully.

I went back to the cashier and opened a drawer. I pulled out a gun, watching Mai's eyes grow wide at the implications.

"I really cannot do anything about your situation right now," I told her, my voice turning icy. "I'm not Kota Kazuraba's keeper, I am a simple shop owner that wishes to help her customers out. If you are not going to buy anything I suggest you leave. _Now._"

Mai gulped. My finger was on the trigger, ready to squeeze it and fire a bullet. There was some more silence, except for the hum of the air conditioning, and the small radio blaring a song called "Switch On!" that came at what I believed was a very ironic time. I'd dance to that song later.

"I am licensed to use this weapon, and I know that your dancing skills won't be enough to stop a bullet to the brain," I continued, my hand trembling. There was a tear that fell down Mai's eye. That was the clincher. "Now get going. Kota will message you when he can. You just have to stop being a nosy little mouse and back OFF!"

Mai swallowed the lump in her throat and ran off, trying not to show her tears as I slipped the gun back into the drawer. I looked at the money in my hand and set it on the counter, taking a good look at it. It's blood money at this point—but if it would give me a chance to leave the Family Circle and pursue my dreams, I would have to get a little dirty. Please forgive me later on, Mai. This was for your own good.

I walked toward the changing room and knocked on the door. "Come on, Kota," I said. "Mai's gone. She won't bother you for a while."

There was some silence as I waited for a response, the radio blaring a song called "Solid Bullet". After twenty or thirty seconds of silence, I sighed, pinched the bridge of my nose, and opened the door. I saw Kota and Hideyasu making out, legs intertwined with one another—their underwear scattered all over the floor—and there were various bite marks on Hideyasu's neck. Ugh.

On the bright side, none of the dresses hadn't been soiled with...male juice yet. Yay?

The two of them looked nervous, but they shared a kiss as if they were blatantly ignoring me. I snarled.

"I am giving both of you until the shop closes at 5 PM to get yourselves cleaned up before I have to kick you out," I told them. Hideyasu turned and smiled, his lipstick painted lips looking looked so...kissable. Damn it brain, don't have _fujoshi_ thoughts now.

"I bet that won't look good on your recommendation papers," he giggled. I shook my head and sighed a bit. This was for my dream. I could tolerate this.

"Listen up," I said, leaning close. "I just saved your ass out there, Kota. The least you can do is give me some compensation _other _than cash. I want that interview tomorrow morning. No exceptions."

"All right, all right," Kota placed a kiss on Hideyasu's ear. "Someone will come pick you up at 9 AM and we'll proceed from there. Um, do you have spare underwear on you?"

"No, I'm not a lingerie store. If you want some lady panties, it's down the block and it's the first store to your left." I pointed to the right with my left hand. "Now will you please hurry up, pay for 'Annabelle's' wardrobe, and get going? I don't feel right lying to Mai about this whole situation."

"She'll get over it in time," Hideyasu replied with a wave of his hand. "Thank you so much, Luna-chan. If there's anything you need from me, don't hesitate to ask. I...I don't know what to say."

"How about 'I'll hurry up and put some underwear on'?" I suggested, covering her eyes when I saw how Hideyasu's cock was exposed, along with the ring that prevented him from having an orgasm. There was even cum dripping off the tip—if this was a _doujinshi_, I'd be cooing over it. Right now, I didn't want to get in trouble for having guys fuck in my store. "For the love of Nidhogg, you're lucky that you're the only customers here right now."

I left the changing room and began to count my money, trying to forget Mai running off in tears. I wished there was a better way for the two of us to have our cakes and eat them, but in this world, you have to fight to survive. If not, sucks to be you.

I sat down at my chair and looked through my magazine. I flipped to a page, taking a glimpse of a photo I kept inside. It was for one of my first cosplays, and Yuko-sempai was there dressed with long black wig and a light blue dress, while I had my black hair down to the waist, a striped periwinkle shirt topped with an orange vest with fur trim and my eyes covered with dorky glasses. I wished for those happy days to continue, but to keep my happiness, I was going to have to work for it.

I just hoped that I wasn't going to lose my mind until then.

**0-0-0-0-0**

Kota and Hideyasu finally paid for the dresses, accessories and what not around five minutes before closing time. I had never scanned so many items in my life. With all the money spend on dresses, I had enough for at least ten cosplays! My sewing machine was going to overheat from it all!

"Thank you so much," Hideyasu told me for the umpteenth time. "I owe you."

"I want that interview tomorrow, all right?" I told Kota, tempting to pull out my gun to make sure that he would come through with his promise. Kota just smiled and nodded his head.

"You have my word," he said, grabbing one of many shopping bags on the counter marked with the Sew Sweet logo (the name of the store with a threaded needle in the middle of the shop's name) into his hands. "Have a good evening."

Hideyasu blew me a kiss as he carried most of the bags in his hands, dressed up in my special Luna Moth mini-dress, which I thankfully lengthened all the way up to the knees. I waited until they fully left the shop before I went to it and flipped the Open sign to Closed. I still had a bad feeling about this, but there was no time to worry about that. I had to go back to my apartment and get ready for the evening.

Turning my radio off, I pulled out my gun and pressed a button on its side. The gun split apart, revealing an action figure of a young girl with light blue hair. I never wanted to intimidate anyone with Aoi-tan, but a girl had to do what she had to do.

I closed the shop after doing inventory on what was sold, sent a few messages out to the Family Circle—making sure none of them involved the bribe money—turned off the lights, and locked the door to the shop so no one could enter. Then, with my laptop and Aoi-tan in my purse, and the money in my pocket, I walked to my apartment. I looked back, seeing the Yggdrasil tower looming over the entire city, my heart fluttering in my chest as I saw what would be my future in such a short time. I knew that Yggdrasil helped Zaname back in the past, but something about that tower made me feel nervous. Then again, a lot of executives I worked with made me feel nervous, so this wasn't new at all.

I shook the thought out of my head as I reached my apartment, looking at my cellphone to check the time. I've got time for a few more things.

**0-0-0-0-0**

"I'm home," I said to my empty apartment. It had a living room, bathroom, kitchen, dining room and a bedroom for one. It's lightly furnished with a chair and a table for dinner, a couch and a sofa, a desk in my bedroom, and some other items. I have no pets since I wouldn't have time to take care of them. At the far corner of the living room was my sewing machine and a giant crate of fabric scraps, along with numerous pictures on the wall for my cosplay ideas.

I set my bag down and pulled my phone out, immediately calling Yuko's number. I waited for the phone to ring five times before I'm greeted with her answering machine.

"Hi, this is Yumeria! If you hear this, I'm off to deal with costumes and other things cosplay! So leave a message after the meow! Meow~"

"Hi Yuko," I said, walking toward the balcony. I glanced a bit at the late afternoon sun before continuing. "It's Luna. I got your message about leaving the Family Circle, and you know what? I'm leaving it also. I have to move forward. Send me a text message when you get this voicemail, and let's see if we can meet up in Zaname City in the future, okay? See you then."

I hang up and let another sigh before turning to my computer desk, where I kept my backup gun. I'm not lying when I said I had a license—it's just that I like to have Aoi-tan on me moreso than a gun that I'm allowed to use rubber bullets with. Of course with all the Inves monsters coming out and attacking everyone, it pays to have a little firepower behind you when things get rough.

Speaking of Mai, would she have the power to stay tough through all this? Why did I feel so sorry for her? I guess it was because she reminded me of myself, in a way. When all of this settle down, I'd give her a complete makeover at Sew Sweet on the house. It's the least I could do to make up for my behavior.

But now, I had to get ready. I had a date tonight with an online boyfriend! It was off to the onsen, then get dressed in my cosplay, and then meet up for dinner and our first meet up! I was going to wear my first ever cosplay so he knows the type of girl I was!

"Have an appointment in the hot springs tonight, and then dinner plans with Souji-kun!" I said, a giant grin on my face. "I can't believe Souji Ripper wants to meet face-to-face for the first time! We've only been an online couple for three months!"

I opened the door to my bedroom with enthusiasm, excited for the night ahead. Nothing was going to ruin it. I wouldn't let anything ruin it.


	2. Get Together

**Confessions on a Dance Floor**

**Dance 2: Get Together**

"_Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."_

_-Antoine de Saint-Exupery_

**Ripper: **H...hello there.

It was in early January when I received a message in the online forums. Usually, I spent time talking with my forum buddies, Yoko and Mitsuko, regarding revelations in the Family Circle and our illustrious head of the whole thing and what not. Tonight, both of them were busy, so I was being warmed by my _kotatsu_ and looking at someone who looked like they entered an online chatroom for the very first time. The name was very interesting. The first thing that came to mind was the legendary Jack the Ripper, the second was a girl wearing a felt cap with yellow cat ears that attacks monsters with something called "Calamity Ripper". Either way, it was pretty cute.

Plus, seeing as I wasn't doing anything important—seeing as I just moved to Zaname City and Sew Sweet hadn't opened for business just yet—it would be great to make some new friends. After all, everyone started somewhere.

**Midnight: **Hi there! Welcome to the Family Circle chatrooms. My name is Midnight.

Ripper's next response surprised me.

**Ripper: **Are you a girl in real life?

I couldn't help but laugh at how adorable that was. This was what I needed to cheer me up after the _forceful_ decision to Zaname City, for no other reason but to "check the situation regarding the downcast citizens" as it was notified by Aguri, the secretary to the Family Circle. I never did like him...something about him made me want to punch him in the face. Still, my focus was to help Ripper finding some online friends.

**Midnight:** Of course I am! Here's a photo for reference!

After choosing one of my more normal photos to upload—me dressed in a blue sailor fuku—I looked at a photo of Yumeria and I on Christmas that was used for my desktop. The two of us dressed up as princesses: Princess Peach for me, and Princess Daisy for Yumeria. We were at an oden restaurant in Futo, where there was this guy dressed up like Santa who handed us presents. Somehow, he knew that I needed a new sketchbook (with a beautiful humming bird glyph on the cover!) with a set of colorful pens, while Yumeria had a new set of manga pens for her doujinshi.

Just as I was reminiscing, I was alerted to another message. Turning my gaze to the chatroom, my jaw literally dropped at what Ripper asked me.

**Ripper:** Will you be my girlfriend?

I stayed silent, judging the gravity of those five words. I had no idea who this person was, aside from the fact that they were most likely a newbie to the Internet and that could've just been an act, and somehow out of the blue they drop this question on me. Still, there was nothing wrong with being 'online' boyfriend/girlfriend—or girlfriend/girlfriend if it came to it. Plus, it'll be good until I made some real friends in Zaname City. What did I have to lose?

**Midnight:** Sure! Let's start dating!

**0-0-0-0-0**

I rode my bike to the Heart of Clear Water Onsen, making sure my costume was folded in my backpack, and I had enough money from today's purchases to pay for the onsen, the dinner and anything else we decided to spend money on. I didn't want to burden Ripper with paying stuff in Zaname, since it was my idea to meet in real life and have this date after all.

A memory came to mind at the word 'date'. The last time I had a 'relationship' with someone it was with this kid named Yamada Tatsumori who had some sick obsession with silent girls and wanting to see their reactions. Whenever we had free time together at the primary school we went to, he would keep constantly trying to woo me with _Romeo and Juliet_ or crossdress as Lady Macbeth and tempt me with whatever it was he wanted (either a date, or pity sex, one or the other). I was utterly relieved when he was transferred to a school called Subaruboshi High. I sincerely hoped he rotted in Hell. Psycopath.

Dismounting near the bike rack and placing a special charm around the bike's handlebars—an _omamori_ with a hummingbird glyph etched on it—I skipped to the onsen's entrance and immediately talked to the receptionist about my reservation. Then, once I entered the changing room, I began to undress myself, making sure I placed my shoes in the particular cubby on the side. Then, once I was fully naked and my backpack was kept away so no one could steal my cosplay and other valuables, I was at the outside baths, pouring cold water over my body. They said that being naked was about being pure...sometimes I feel that Japan never understood whether that meant being "pure good", "pure at heart" or just "pure evil." Right now, I just felt plain naked.

"Oh, who are you? You're kinda cute, you know?"

That voice was familiar. Oh please don't let it be who I think it was...

After pouring the bucket of water all over my head, and wrapping the washcloth around my dripping wet hair. I stayed silent, calming my rapidly beating heart as I really didn't want to think about how Hideyasu was here at the same onsen I was at. Just who was he talking to? And more importantly, why was I so interested in all of this? I leaned close to the bamboo wall, finding a hole perfect enough to at least hear their conversations.

"Um...my name is Souji. Souji Rippukan."

It felt like my heart dropped to my stomach. It couldn't have been Souji...it shouldn't have been the same Souji aka Ripper who was going to meet me in about an hour or so at the hot pot place I made reservations at! Then again, I did give him suggestions on what to do when he made it to Zaname...I just wasn't expecting him coming right now of all times!

"Isn't that such a cute name, Kota?" the first voice asked. Yep, that was Hideyasu. I knew that voice from watching DJ Sagara's online Beat Rider show where Hideyasu talked about Team Invitto.

"Of course," Kota added. I could tell he was smiling from where I was hearing all of this. "Except he's not as adorable as Ryoji, Micchy or Kaito-kun here. Isn't that right, Rippupu~"

"R...Rippupu?" I had to suppress my laughter when Souji said it. It sounded so adorable! "Um...well, I do have an online persona named...R...Ripper."

"Rippupu, Rippupu~" I heard Hideyasu sang. Great, now I wasn't going to be able to get that jingle out of my head. There was the sound of water splashing, and some laughter, along with other voices chanting "Rippupu, Rippupu~". Now I felt like making some sort of music video, uploading it onto the internet on a repetitive ten hour loop with cute little versions of the Beat Riders circling Souji chanting this little song. Thanks a lot!

"Come on Rippupu, let's get to know each other in the hot springs!"

Hideyasu's voice snapped me out of my daydream. I turned my gaze away from the bamboo wall to see Hideyasu dragging Souji out of the showers (who I only know has short brown hair in a hairstyle that would've made me mistake him for Hideyasu's twin brother), and rushing toward the hot springs on the other exit. There were six others who left the showers (four of them being Beat Riders, the other two I couldn't tell), but something told me that I had to pursue them. That would be easy to do.

Wrapping a towel around my wet, naked body, I stepped out of the showers and made my way to the hot springs, making sure I didn't make eye contact with Hideyasu, Kota, and especially Souji. Once I made it to the women's side, glad that there were no other female patrons coming in, I swam toward the bamboo wall and concentrated, ignoring the steam of the hot springs, and the other sounds of water splashing everywhere. My focus was on discovering what these Beat Riders, and their fellow associates, were planning. It was obvious that it wasn't anything good.

"You've been so _tense_ lately, Takatora..." The voice was teasing, full of playfulness. I shuddered.

"Mmm...Guess your fingers do more than typing data..." That must've been the person who was Takatora. "Maybe next time you could let me-"

"Shh...We're in the presence of virgins."

"V...virgin?" I winced when I heard Souji's surprised voice. I mean, I was too—just because I was into guys making out and all, doesn't mean that I've had my own virginity taken. "Um...I don't think that I am one..."

"The way you blush shows that you're not so...intimate yet," That was Kota, recalling all of those online videos he appeared when he was Armored Rider Gaim. It was very strange to hear him act so...sensual. "Come on Kaito, let's introduce him to the world of...passion."

I heard the water splash around and some snickering. I didn't like the looks of this...I _really_ didn't.

"We'll loosen you up for a little night fun," That voice belonged to Micchy of Team Gaim. It sounded so different in contrast to his meek self. Was this what he was like when he's not shown to the public?

"I...I can't, I have a date with my girlfriend...I...really don't think this is necessary. Please don't do this."

I felt so warm and fuzzy inside at hearing Souji calling me his girlfriend. If it wasn't for the fact that the situation was awkward, I would've melted into a puddle of happiness.

"Why not, Rippupu?" That voice...I think that was Ryoji. "Hot springs are for bonding, and _we_ want to bond with _you_."

My mind began to imagine so many different images of Souji being kissed and touched in different places, of lips touching his shoulder blades, or tongues licking the a palms of his hands. I was blushing at these thoughts; if other female patrons came into the hot springs and saw me, they'd probably assume it was the temperature of the water that caused me to look like a lobster!

"We're out in the open, Micchy," Takatora again. "Things like this are best to be spoken behind closed doors. We are not here to plan; we are here to relax and celebrate. Think of the weekend as your extended birthday."

"Happy birthday, Mitsuzane!" Hideyasu's voice, and it took on a feminine pitch. I made a mental note on that. "Ryoji and I will 'personally' present you with your gift when we get home. How about it?"

"I'd be delighted, Hideyasu," Micchy's voice. "You have to wear something _naughty_ though..."

"I'll do my best, sire..." At that point, I cut off from the conversation, not wanting to imagine Hideyasu in his birthday suit when I had to focus on getting Souji out ASAP!

I closed my eyes, placed my knees to my chest, and began to concentrate, There had to be something to pull Souji out of the hot water and from those...those...perverted boys. Ugh. While I was a _fujoshi_ at heart, there were times when a girl like me just wanted something...simple and sweet. Souji was one of thos things.

Shaking my head, I had to think of something that would alert Souji and get him out of the hot springs and ready for the date tonight. Wait...alert...alarm!

I squeezed my eyes tight, remembering an old fire alarm that I heard back during my school days—like one that was used for emergency drills. I could still recall the ringing in my ears throughout the day, covering my ears with my fingers until I couldn't hear it anymore. I focused on that shrill whine, projecting the sound into the real world.

After a few seconds, I could hear it clear as day. I opened my eyes and heard someone swim out of the hot springs. It had to be Souji, his naked and wet body grabbing a towel by the nearby rack and using it to dry himself off. I sighed in relief; he was safe, for now.

Knowing that I wasn't going to enjoy my peaceful hot springs dip with perverted boys giving me dirty thoughts, I pulled myself out of the water and began to walk toward the door. Just as I was going to enter, I recalled that the alarm was still ringing. I sighed, placed my fingers toward my forehead, and the alarm stopped just like that. Letting out a sigh of relief, I began to prepare for the evening ahead.

**0-0-0-0-0**

Getting dressed was simple, minus the fact that I had to wait a while for my hair to dry. Once I was already in cosplay, and checked off everything on a notepad I carried, I left the onsen, sighing as my bike hadn't been stolen and the _omamori _dangled on the handlebar. There was somewhere I needed to go before I could have dinner.

Mounting on my bike, I pedaled toward the city park. The sky showed signs of sunset, still exposing enough light to let me see my favorite bench on a hill. I parked my bike near it and sat down, watching parents play with their children, and pet owners throwing sticks to their dogs. I loved watching people—it made me see things about them that most others never took the time for. They got to live happily; they didn't have to worry about other people's troubles. Being in the Family Circle game me a fresher perspective of many of life's sufferings...and simultaneously it told me that I needed to obtain my own happiness before I found myself crushed by the overwhelming despair.

I couldn't take it anymore; I was being the Family Circle's personal doormat in a city where I was stuck in a costume shop just watching people who only looked at my wares but not buy any of them. It irritated me to no end. I wasn't liking this, not one bit.

"I have to do something," I vowed, standing up. A breeze began to pick up. "I'm going to leave the Family Circle and never come back. I won't let them control my life anymore."

With that oath, I left the bench and pedaled all the way to the Blake Belladonna Hot Pot, hoping that somehow I could distract myself through slices of meat, watercress and tofu in spicy broth. I heard my cellphone beep in my pocket, pulling it out to reveal a text.

**Tsuyoshi: **Midnight, we're almost done. Ema and I will leave Shibuya to see you soon.

Oh, that's right—I had other online friends that I talked to. Tsuyoshi and Ema—they 'existed' in a Shibuya that wasn't like Shibuya. There had been lots of progress for the lovers to leave that Shibuya to see reality again. I was the only one who knew about their secret, actually. Well that, and the three friends of Tsuyoshi and Ema's (Asagi, Ryuugo and DJ), knew what was going on. There was this development team—OSTO, if I recalled from some online research I did on my days off—experimented in Cosmic Energy to speed the healing process for Ema, but after that there wasn't anything else I could pick up aside from the few texts I would receive. Their first order of business was to see me in Zaname; at least I had the comfort of having people to see me while I wallowed in Zaname forever.

Swerving out of the way of a couple holding hands, I eventually found the entrance to the Hot Pot restaurant. The logo had a little girl with black hair, dressed in black with cat ears and a tail. By the door was a large black _maneki neko_ statue, both of its paws raised and a golden coin resting on its stomach. I parked my bike at the bike rack, stroking the _omamori _dangling on the handlebars. Looking over my cosplay once more, I slid the nerdy glasses perched on my head over my eyes. I walked in, quickly texting Tsuyoshi.

**Midnight: **Great to hear that. I know that you'll both be dancing on the moon's surface soon.

I was greeted by numerous smells and the sounds of people indulged in their meals. Waiting for a table were a group of five...delinquents, I presumed...all looking across from someone siting all by himself. I turned, seeing someone dressed up like Jack Atlas. In his hands was a box tied with a blue bow. Could it possibly be...

"Excuse me..." I spoke, loud enough for him to hear. The Jack Atlas cosplayer looked up, eyes staring into my own. There was some silence as I asked him, "Are you...Souji 'Ripper-kun'?"

"...Midnight?" he whispered. I lifted the glasses over my head, so I could get a better look at him. The cosplayer didn't have Jack's purple eyes, but I liked it better this way. Something about brown eyes showed someone to keep you grounded, someone to keep you safe from harm. "Is that you?"

We stared at each other's eyes a bit longer. Then, I smiled.

"Of course. But, you can call me Luna. Everyone does."

I sat down next to Souji, leg crossed over another as he snuck the box into one of the pockets of pants. He looked so...so shy. I guess it was mostly because of the type of cosplay he wore. I didn't know whether to look amazed or embarrassed—the last thing I needed was him to fit in just like me.

After a few more minutes, the receptionist directed Souji and I to our table, sitting us down and handing us menus for tonight. I observed other patrons coming in, some already pouring vegetables and assorted goodies into bubbling pots of broth, others on their cellphones taking pictures or texting their friends and loved ones, and one or two tables having the patrons just staying silent and sipping barley tea. Speaking of which, our waitress appeared setting two teacups and a teapot of that same barley tea for us. I poured the tea for us both.

"Thank you," said Souji, hands folded over the table.

"No problem," I said, picking up a pen. "So...is there anything you'd like to try tonight?"

"I'm a big fan of mushrooms, actually. I'm not into bean sprouts though."

"Mm-hmm..." I began placing check marks over many of the items. "What about tofu?"

"W...whatever is fine with you, d...darling..." Souji leaned his head to the side as he said that. I raised an eyebrow, but otherwise kept choosing hot-pot ingredients. After a minute of finalizing everything, the waitress returned to take the list to the chefs. We stayed quiet, trying to find the right thing to say.

"L...Luna," Souji stammered. "Um...did I ever mention that you're...such a...**true blue** friend?"

I stayed quiet, trying to process what he told me. Then, I laughed.

"I wouldn't know about the 'true' part," I replied. "But blue? Yes. Just a chipper girl who loves music and the color blue..." I smirked. "I guess you can call me a **bluebird**, right?"

I saw that look of surprise on Souji's face before he moved to the side once more. I had a funny feeling that he was looking at those delinquents who sat across from him when I entered the restaurant. Souji did mention that he had five close friends who were helping him out. After he nodded his head once or twice, he looked back at me.

"Of course," said Souji, leaning close. He laughed a bit, doing his best to imitate Jack Atlas by acting so suave. "Also, you have such pretty eyes...why do you have to hide behind these glasses?"

"Is it because the glasses are part of the character I'm portraying?" I replied with a smirk. I watched Souji visibly cringe at my remark. "I'm sure someone who knows about the relationships the characters we cosplay have, you'd know the significance of the glasses."

"Um...speaking of significance..." Souji pulled out the black box with the blue ribbon. "Here...it's for you."

"Hmm?" Curiosity took over me as I brought the box into my hands, pulling the ribbon off ever so gently. Lifting the lid off the box, I saw a card nestled in orange tissue paper. I was speechless. "Is this...could it really be?"

"I watched a few episodes to get a better 'understanding'," Souji stammered. "It's...not a..."

"It's beautiful," I whispered, taking the card into her hands. The card depicted a giant black hummingbird with orange lines perched on top of a Mayan temple. I'd been looking for one, but I would always be too exhausted to go to the card shop to pick one up. "An Earthbound Immortal – Ascilla piscu...where did you find this?"

"There was a collectible's shop that I found while I was waiting for time to pass." Souji elaborated, sipping his tea. "I was swamped by fangirls who were amazed at the cosplay...and apparently some guys looked at me funny."

"The cosplay's really well done," I pulled out my cellphone and took a picture, immortalizing Souji's blushing face. "I can tell that whoever made it has exceptional sewing skills."

"Yeah, they do," Souji chuckled. I smiled back as I placed the card in my backpack, and the cellphone on the table. There was some silence, the two of us unable to say anything in front of the other. I put my glasses up once just to get a better look at Souji, the way his face wanted to portray someone cool, but really showed someone who was shy. Souji must've noticed this because he was about to say something...

"Excuse me, can I ask you something?"

I looked up, and my eyes went wide. There was a person who approached Souji, but notjust any person...it was Hideyasu in the Luna Moth dress he purchased just a few hours ago! Oh no...

"The name is Annabelle," Hideyasu told Souji, giggling like a schoolgirl. Ifelt like I was going to puke. "I just wanted to know you a bit more. Like, what's your name?"

"Souji...Souji Rippukan," Souji answered. "Why do you ask?"

"It sounds very cute, doesn't it? You know, I just found the cutest name for you. Isn't that right, Rippupu~"

I wanted to scream at Hideyasu and slam his head into the electric stove, hoping I would leave a permanent scar all over that stupid, smug face of his. Of all times I had to see Hideyasu, it was at this very restaurant at this very time.

I took a glance to the right, and there was Kota in that kimono waving at me. He also had a ridiculous smug smile on his face, remiding me of the times he showed off his power as Armored Rider Gaim before the rider phase took off. I grimaced when I noted that Micchy, Ryoji and both Ryoma and Takatora were also seated across from us, while our waitress set the pot of half normal and half spicy broth on the electric stove, pressing a few buttons so the stove would turn on. She walked off, completely oblivious to the cross-dressing maid getting too close to my boyfriend. As Souji was distracted by the people behind me, I fished out a 1000 yen note to Hideyasu.

"I'm paying you to _not_ reveal your true colors to him," I growled. "What would you want from me to ensure that tonight you pretend we don't know each other?"

"I sit on your little boyfriend's lap while you take photos? Come now," Hideyasu had that smile on his face as he took the cellphone into his nail-polished hands (which, given the color of green with a little bit of blue and yellow to replicate the 'eyes' on a Luna Moth, weren't half bad). "You can't deny that a _fujoshi_ like yourself wouldn't miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity such as this, correct?"

I was so close to shooting him in the face. Instead, I conceded, swapping my cellphone with the yen note in hand and said, "Touch him in an inappropriate place, and I castrate you."

"Duly noted," Hideyasu blew me a kiss as he stood up, placing his hands on Souji's shoulders. He cleared his throat and spoke in a very faux feminine voice, "Would you mind if I sat on you, sir?"

"Uh..." I crossed my fingers, hoping Souji had the gall to say "No". "Sure?"

I gripped on the edge of the table so hard, my knuckles began to turn white. Hideyasu placed a kiss on Souji's forehead (I was relieved that Hideyasu didn't wear lipstick) before sitting himself down, running his hands over Souji's shoulders, chest and stomach. I was on the edge of either murdering him, or flipping the table over so that hot broth would ruin his makeup. I turned around, noticing the five delinquents frozen with different hand movements before turning to the table, whistling and drumming their fingers. I would've gone up to them and ask them a few questions, if my boyfriend's virginity wasn't on the line.

"Come now, Rippupu..." Hideyasu cooed, drawing circles around Souji's chest. "Let's show them a good time."

"Um, I don't think that's a good idea..."

"Oh, so you're saying you're just not _cool_ enough to do something...risky?"

"Risky _this_, girl." I turned around just as Souji pulled on Hideyasu's dress, forcing his tongue down the maid's throat. I heard Souji's friends—or at least, I think those were his friends—gasp. I was too shocked to say anything. No...this wasn't how the night was supposed to go. I felt the tears falling down my face, too horrified to retaliate to this make-out session

"S...Souji-kun no BAKA!" I screamed, rushing to the bathroom, not wanting to show the tears that fell down my face. I had never felt so upset in my life.

**0-0-0-0-0**

I locked myself in one of the bathroom stalls, so angry and so frustrated. I bit on a handkerchief to muffle my sobs. I couldn't believe that this was happening—it was making my stomach sick and I hadn't eaten anything yet. I didn't know who to feel angry at: Hideyasu for tempting Souji to kiss him, Souji for kissing Hideyasu, or myself because I wasn't brave enough to stop it. It was so confusing.

"Midnight?" said a female voice. This one was real, that I could tell. "Midnight, are you in here?"

"Who is that?" I asked, standing up. I unlocked the door, seeing a girl around my age, wearing a black sailor_fuku_ with a matching red tie, her black hair down to her shoulders. She also had a matching black purse, the strap going across her shoulder.

"My name is Amy Uzuki," the girl explained. "I was the one who helped Souji-kun log into the chatroom...and to find you."

"Call me Luna," I said, feeling a bit awkward to reveal my name to a complete stranger. I was used to introducing myself with my Family Circle name, so letting Amy call me 'Luna' made it seem so personal. "My full name is Luna Iwashimizu. I own a cosplay shop here in Zaname."

"_Wow!_" Amy exclaimed. "That sounds amazing. And this outfit...you made it yourself?"

"It was the very first cosplay I did that didn't involve my sempai to make for me," I said, running my fingers over the vest. "I didn't know that Souji...Ripper...hewould go as far as to cosplay as Jack."

"That was Daigo-kun's idea."

"You mean the guy that was also wearing girl clothes?"

"Eh? You knew that?" Amy blinked. "I'm actually relieved he's not the only one in female garb tonight."

"Wait a minute..." I leaned close. "You know that the 'girl' Souji kissed wasn't..."

"I do," Amy whispered. She looked down at her feet. "That's why I came to comfort you. I saw how you were bribing 'her' to not reveal anything. I think Ian knows about it too, but I really can't say." She wrapped her arms around me. "Souji didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I hope you understand that."

"I know." I wiped away another tear that threatened to fall down my face. "Do you want to know more about that situation?"

"Well...let me give you my username on the forums," Amy stepped back and removed a business card from her purse, along with a pen. She scribbled something on the back and handed it to me. "That way we can talk when I'm not focused on studies or Gentle isn't berating me. Also, the business card is for the restaurant I work in, Tiger Boy! Drop by when you have a chance, all right?"

Someone handedme their username, and we only knew each other for about five minutes. I felt so...so touched by everything. I never had lots of friends growing up, and the ones that I did make in elementary school quickly forgot about me since I was just some sort of stand-in for another child. But Amy's kindness touched my heart. I wanted to cry even more, but I sucked it all up and pocketed the business card. I would never forget this for the rest of my life.

"Thank you, Amy-chan..." I whispered, squeezing her tight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"No problem," Amy smiled. "Now come on, get yourself freshen up so you can finish the rest date. My friends and I didn't help Souji out for nothing. Come on!"

I nodded my head and followed Amy out of the bathroom, ready to face Souji, the _real_ Souji, once more.

**0-0-0-0-0**

Once I made it back at the table, rightfully ignoring Hideyasu who looked slightly guilty for what he caused (or perhaps it was an act, I couldn't tell myself), I sat down across from Souji, dumping leaves of nappa cabbage over the boiling broth. I took a glance at the various meats and vegetables yet to be cooked, but that would be for later. I just looked at Souji, focusing on his eyes and lifting the glasses so they perched on my head. Souji must've realized what this meant.

"I'm...I'm sorry," he stammered, bowing his head. "I didn't mean to act so rough. You see, I've never ever dated before and I felt like if I didn't do something _out there_...you wouldn't think I was an amazing boyfriend. So..." Souji carefully removed the wig and placed it on his lap. His hair was covered by a nylon wig cap and a multitude of bobby pins. When I saw that, it made me see a boy who wanted to become someone else...someone cool and awesome. But...Souji was Souji, and I liked seeing him with brown hair instead of spiky blond. "I can't be someone who I'm not. Likewise, you're not this shy and meek little girl. You're outgoing, you're...you're a free spirit...you're..."

I leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips. I really didn't know what caused me to do this—I never kissed anyone in my life, and having my first kiss with Souji never even crossed my mind. But here we were, enjoying this sign of love for the very first time. I felt my heart flutter. It didn't matter if Souji kissed Hideyasu—Hideyasu would never have Souji as hs true love, that would be me. After a while, I stepped back.

"Next time, just be you," I told Souji, placing my hand over his own. "I mean, it's nice that you tried your hardeset with the cosplay and all...but I wanted to see you for who you really were. Sweet, shy, a bit dorky...that's who I wanted."

"Oh..." There was a huge blush that made Souji look like a strawberry as he adjusted his wig. It made him look so cute. "So...you forgive me?"

"Always," I answered, nodding my head. I picked up a slice of cooked lamb from the pot and chewed on it, tasting the lean meat combined with the spices of the broth. "Come on. Let's enjoy the moment."

"After this...do you want to have dessert with me?" Souji stammered. "There's this place called Drupers that makes parfaits."

"Nah...let's have a walk across the warehouses. They're usually abandoned and hold lots of interesting junk. 'One man's trash is another man's treasure' after all."

"R...right," Souji dumped spinach leaves into the broth. "So, what about dancing? Are there dance clubs we can go to?"

"Of course there are! There's this famous one called 'Rhythm Heaven' that is perfect for a night out. Do you like dancing?" I really hoped Souji did—nothing showed that you loved life than dancing with someone you loved.

"Um, I guess you can say that. I hear that it...brings out the **heart** and **soul** of the dancer." Again with the puns? It had to do something with Amy and her friends. Someone was feeding him dialogue that made him not seem himself. I would like to have a word with them.

"Before I get into you, tell me more about your friends," I began, pulling out a notepad and pen from my backpack. "That way I know who gave you what advice and who to avoid the next time we have a date like this."

Souji groaned as I turned to his friends behind me. Amy gave me a thumb's up, but the guys around her just groaned. I could tell that this was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.


End file.
